Iran, the Houthis’ main benefactor, has targeted Israel with ballistic missile attacks twice over the past year. The B-2 would be used in any American attack on hardened Iranian nuclear facilities like Natanz or Fordo, given it is the only aircraft in service that can drop the GBU-57, known as the “Massive Ordnance Penetrator”.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement the operation late Wednesday was ordered by President Joe Biden to "further degrade" the Houthis' ability to launch attacks on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea.

Both times Israel responded by attacking sites in Houthi-controlled Yemen, including fuel tanks and other infrastructure at the Red Sea port of Hudaydah. The Houthis are part of a network of armed groups in the Middle East backed by Iran that includes Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza.